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Evaluating Legacies

Monday, June 22, 2009

I read a thread on the Captain forums talking about strategies and merits of using the Relentless Attack legacy. This legacy increases our critical rating for the Relentless Attack buff. Some argue that this legacy is one of the most useless because the returns hardly make a difference at all. Others will level this legacy only a little bit, saving their points for what they consider more useful legacies. I think the return on investment (ROI) argument is a little fallacious.

Every legacy operates on very small percentages. 12% increase is the highest I've seen for a fully upgraded legacy, and that was on a level 60 first age weapon. 12% to 100 is only 112, not a big difference at all. It doesn't matter what number you use as your "principle" either because the effects are already balanced for not being overpowered (generally), regardless of the numerical value. That means legacies cannot give too much of a bonus, or the skill would become unbalanced. So, if one does argue the ROI isn't worth it, you have to carry that argument to all legacies.

The legacies you choose to level are generally worth it because you feel they're worth it. It all depends on how you play your class. Certainly there are some legacies more useful relative to others within a class, but none of them are completely useless. The better strategy discussion would be to evaluate the merits of the legacies based on a playstyle, rather than dismissing any one as having a bad ROI. They all do, considering the time sink involved in the legendary item system.

3 Responses to "Evaluating Legacies"

Yeebo Says:

My basic feeling is that a buff to an ability that almost no-one uses should be nearly overpowered (thus bringing crappy ability up to par), and traits to abilities that everyone uses don't really need to be all that strong. Folks will still take them.

Something I have noticed is that in many cases, somewhere around %50 of the bonus a given LI trait can possibly provide comes from rank 1. Increases after that are often marginal, and in terms of bang for your buck it's rarely profitable to take anything but weapons DPS to max rank.

Honestly, not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Anonymous Says:

I'ld rather do my taxes again than spend my weekend analyzing the costs and benefits of legacies. The content is pretty easy as is, if I maxed everything out it would be a complete cakewalk.

Jaxom92 Says:

@ anon

LOL, then you're not gonna like today's post very much.